We are considering rope dropping Peter Pan this summer so that we can avoid using a fast pass on it. However, it’ll be our first day at Magic Kingdom, and I know that my kids (7 and 4) will want to see the welcome show and may be slowed down on our walk to Peter Pan due to wanting to look around at everything. This has me concerned that the wait time will be ridiculous by the time we get over there and it might not work out. Assuming we are positioned to watch the show and walk, but don’t race right over to Peter Pan, is the wait usually still short? I don’t want to waste our entire rope drop time in a 30 minute wait for Peter Pan…
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This is my exact concern for our first day a MK. I’m not planning on rope-dropping anything “major,” because I really don’t want to rush everyone on our first day there! So I don’t have an answer for you, just know that you are not alone in your ponderings. (My kids will be 4, 6, and 8…the distractibility will be high!)
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It’s very possible. In my limited experience (one trip last August) the line built very quickly. We had a PPO breakfast at BOG and then two early rides on 7DMT before the crowds came in. By the time we headed to PP, found the stroller parking and parked the stroller, the wait was easily 20-30 minutes (but I don’t really recall the posted wait time). The beginning of the queue without no entertainment wasn’t tough for my impatient DS6. But once we were in the interactive part, it was fine.
That said, if your kids want to stare in awe, let them. They’ll be opportunities to make up time or drop something later.
My DD was drawn to the carousel. I managed to get her to agree to go do one thing first (rope drop Peter Pan) and then come back to the carousel.
This was my thought exactly and I wanted them to be able to watch the magic show. We went to the stairs to the left of the castle to watch, it was perfect, we did get there really early and were right up front behind the CM. Then when the fireworks went off she directed us up and through the castle. And then we headed straight onto PP. We did walk a little quickly, but I told me daughter that she would see it all later. It was my 11yr old son that couldn’t keep up. LOL, He does nothing fast! I would say walk with purpose but if they want to look let them look. The queue at PP is pretty neat and if you rope drop you will be just walking by all of that. Enjoy your time!
Be ready to roll you stroller into parking and shuffle the kids out into line. We didn’t have a stroller so we didn’t have that issue.
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Rope droppers are more likely to hit 7DMT or one of the Mountains (Space, Splash, or Big Thunder) before hitting Peter Pan. If you go to PP first, you may encounter a short line, but not 30 minutes. Now, if you go to another attraction, then go to PP, its possible that you could see a line of an hour or more built up.
Regardless, what is your reason for not wanting to FP it? Is it because you want to see the queue? Are there other rides you plan on using your other 3 FPs on?
I agree with you, as I was concern about that on our first trip last March.
On our first day, we watched the show and headed to Frontierland, where crowds are lighter in the morning. I liked the idea of not being with the big crowds early in the morning of our first day in MK.
On our second day, we had a ADR BOG and we RD Peter Pan with no crowd (almost everybody that have an ADR BOG were in line for 7DMT). We entered the line in 9:01 and exited at 9:08 and the posted wait was 30 minutes.
Like @TwoBits said, what was your idea of FP+ for that day ?
In my opinion, it is easier to RD BTMR followed by Splash Mountain and have a FP+ for PP and the other way around.
We encountered a 30 minute line for PP after a bus snafu made us miss RD by 15-20 minutes. If you are actually making RD, I can’t imagine a 30 minute line, even if your kids aren’t commando marching.
We are planning two days at MK, so some of our FP+ we were thinking are 7DMT, Jungle Cruise, Splash Mountain, Winnie the Pooh, as well as a couple character greetings (Cinderella, Mickey Mouse). I think you guys do have some good ideas, and it might not be worth stressing about it, and just use a FP+ on it…I do think the kids would like the queue, but it’s probably not worth rushing around and stressing about it on our first day. Thanks!
I don’t think you can go wrong either way, but personally I like your initial plan. with kids, I think the queue of PP is pretty special, and RD without FP+ is the only way you’re going to see it (using a FP bypasses it all). I think you’re overstating both the rush and the stress.
What would you be ropedropping instead if you use a FP+ on PP? If you accept missing the PP queue experience, I would RD Winnie the Pooh and use the FP+ on PP instead.
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I remember reading somewhere that if you were RDing PP, you should wait until they clear the castle entrance (and thus will have a great view of the show) and go that way, as it’s supposed to be faster than going around. Does anyone else have any experience to back that up?
As for kids looking around - for sure, but if you get there early enough to look around before the show and RD, they may be more willing to move faster.
You can do both. We were maybe two rows deep from the rope on the left walkway of the castle and so could see the show well but were in the early pack heading in once the rope dropped. We had a scooter snafu that delayed us a bit afterwards and still only waited 20 min with maybe 5 or so of that I’m the boring outside line. Yes it was busy getting there but not insane.
My kids really loved the queue part with tinker bell moving across the room. Was happy we did not FPP it.
Re: the kids wanting to do something else - explaining that going right away to the ride means more rides after since a shorter line wait seemed to help mine focus on our goal. 
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I watched the welcome show from the front row, went in to the park to the left of the stage on a High Crowd day Easter Week… I seem to recall coming to PP from the left hand side. IGNORE the posted wait… Ours said 45 min. I asked the CM who said it was likely 15 min and he was right. The stand by queue is intriguing enough it helps pass the time with little ones.